Jammu: Asserting that restoration of statehood remains the biggest political demand of the people of the Union Territory, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said Jammu and Kashmir chose to be part of India in 1947.
He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have repeatedly demonstrated their faith in democracy, rejected violence and continue to seek accountable governance along with restoration of their constitutional and democratic rights.
Speaking at The Hindu Huddle 2026 in Bengaluru, Omar, termed the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 as the “biggest policy mistake” made by the Government of India.
Responding to questions on India-Pakistan relations and Kashmir’s role in the geopolitical landscape, Omar said Jammu and Kashmir remains central to tensions between the two countries.
“Pakistan wants us. We are a part of India. We chose to be a part of India. That was something they couldn’t accept and still are unable to accept,” he said.
He said while the people of J&K are directly affected by India-Pakistan relations, they are rarely consulted in the dialogue process.
“We are, for want of a better phrase, the elephant in the room,” he said.
Referring to the security situation, Omar said last year’s incidents in Pahalgam showed that militancy and violence cannot be taken lightly.
“We became complacent about the security situation. We thought the dark days of militancy where innocent people would be killed were behind us. Unfortunately, we saw them again,” he said.
He also expressed concern over the international situation, particularly developments around Iran, saying many students from Jammu and Kashmir study there.
Seeking restoration of statehood, Omar said the Centre had publicly committed to a three-stage process involving delimitation, elections and restoration of statehood.
“We had delimitation. We had elections in which people participated in record numbers. But statehood is nowhere to be seen,” he said.
Questioning the Centre’s repeated reference to restoring statehood at an “appropriate time”, Omar asked the Government of India to define the parameters being used to determine that timeline.
“What is the yardstick by which I will measure the appropriate time? Is it violence? Is it the international situation with Pakistan? These are things I do not control,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the present Union Territory arrangement weakens democratic governance and limits the powers of the elected government.
“How can I be Chief Minister without choosing my Chief Secretary, Director General of Police or Finance Secretary? What sort of government is that?” he asked.
He said governance and delivery of services would improve once Jammu and Kashmir regains statehood.
“I am not using absence of statehood as an excuse. I am saying governance and delivery will be better when you give us what you promised,” he said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on restoration of statehood, Omar said, “We were told publicly that this is not just any promise, this is Modi’s promise. All we are asking is that the promise be kept.”
On Article 370, Omar said the constitutional provision was never responsible for lack of development in Jammu and Kashmir and said that decades of violence and instability discouraged investment and economic growth.
“People will not invest money in a place they perceive as unsafe,” he said.
Rejecting the argument that Article 370 hindered growth, Omar said several other regions in the country also enjoy special protections and restrictions.
“The BJP said you can’t have two systems in one country. But there are places in the country where outsiders cannot buy land and where permits are required,” he said.
He said Jammu and Kashmir suffered because of violence over the last three decades and not because of constitutional safeguards.
The Chief Minister said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have repeatedly demonstrated their faith in democracy and rejected violence.
“For the first time in 35 years of violence, people came out openly against terror and against the killing of innocent people. They lit candles, marched and said this is not in our name,” he said.
He said voters in Jammu and Kashmir, like elsewhere in the country, want jobs, better healthcare and accountable governance.
“They want to be participants in the development and progress of this country,” he said.
On the proposal of “One Nation, One Election”, Omar said implementing such a system in a country as diverse as India would be difficult.
“How do you implement it in a country where governments can fall before completing their terms?” he asked.
The Chief Minister also spoke about federalism and the functioning of Raj Bhavans, saying opposition-ruled states often face greater interference.
“It is still better to be a state with an interfering Raj Bhavan than to be a Union Territory with an even more empowered Raj Bhavan,” he said.
Reflecting on his political journey, Omar said power is temporary and should not be taken for granted.
“We are perhaps the most glorified daily wagers in the country. Just because I am in office today is no guarantee that I will be in office tomorrow,” he said.
He also recalled witnessing the dismissal of his father Farooq Abdullah’s government in 1984 and said those experiences shaped his political understanding from a young age.
Omar said age and political experience had changed his outlook over the years and given him a deeper understanding of governance and public life.
Inviting people from southern India to visit Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said tourism and filmmaking can play an important role in improving connections between regions.
“We do not get enough people from south of the Vindhyas. Tourism follows movies. We would love to see more South Indian films shot in Kashmir,” he said.
Referring to filmmaker Yash Chopra’s impact on Swiss tourism, Omar said cinema has immense potential to promote Kashmir as a tourist destination.
“Your films have bigger budgets and are doing better than Bollywood these days. We hope more filmmakers from the South will come and shoot in Kashmir,” he added.
He also referred to the film Roja and said movies based on Kashmir earlier could not be shot in the Valley because of the security situation, but circumstances have now improved considerably.
Meanhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister met his Karnataka counterpart D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru and congratulated him on assuming office.
The two leaders met during ‘The Hindu Huddle’ event, where Abdullah also participated.
Congratulating Shivakumar on assuming the post of Karnataka chief minister, Abdullah wished him a successful and impactful tenure in the service of the people of Karnataka.
He expressed confidence that Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka would continue to strengthen cooperation and exchange best practices in governance, public welfare and inclusive development.
“It was a pleasure to meet and be able to congratulate my friend DK Shivakumar in person on the sidelines of The Hindu Huddle. I’m sure his term in office will be hugely beneficial to the people of Karnataka,” Abdullah said after the meeting.
Shivakumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on June 3.
